A man shot dead his estranged wife, their teenage daughter and two other relatives before killing himself the day before a court hearing in their bitter divorce.

Kevin Garner shot himself in the chest hours after killing his relatives - two of whom were children.

The bodies of his partner Tammy, his 16-year-old daughter Chelsie along with his sister Karen Beaty and her 11-year-old son were found at a house in Green Hill, north Alabama around midnight on Monday.

It was one of eight mass shootings around the country in the last month that have left grief-stricken communities in shock. It's also the third mass killing in Alabama during that time.

Travis Clemmons, chief investigator for the Lauderdale County sheriff's office, said Garner's body was found at his home in Priceville on yesterday.

He said a neighbour called authorities after seeing a body through glass in the door.

Mr Clemmons said the divorce case appeared to be among the triggers of the violence.

In the divorce file, Tammy sought custody of their daughter
and alleged that her husband 'has been both physically and emotionally
abusive.'

He accused her of adultery.

He also accused his wife of taking £25,000 out of their joint bank account when they separated May 27 last year.

Court officials said the Garners had made an appearance in court Monday in advance of the diviorce trial, and nothing seemed unusual or indicated it would lead to killings.

'I just can't understand it. And with with a 16-year-old and an 11-year-old kid, there's nothing rational about it.'

Jerry Knight, an attorney who represented Kevin Garner in the divorce case, said his client 'had a terrific work ethic and value system. I was terribly shocked and saddened by this unexpected tragedy.'

Kevin Garner had worked at a chemical plant and Tammy worked at a department store.

The five deaths follow the stabbing deaths of four people in a home in Hueytown, near Birmingham, on March 7, and the shooting deaths of 10 people on March 10 by a gunman in south Alabama who also took his own life.